Dom Smith ready for up and down season with Mets

Dominic Smith returned to the Mets clubhouse on Friday and found his locker just the way he left it. But a long-term stay with the team is far from guaranteed for the first baseman.

The Mets called Smith back up from Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday, taking the roster spot of the injured Steven Matz, who headed to the injured list retroactive to May 5.

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Smith was demoted to the minor leagues last Friday while the team prepared for its three-game series in Milwaukee. The 23-year-old said it took him at least a day to get over the initial shock of briefly being sent down to Syracuse.

Dom Smith is a valuable bench piece for the Mets, but could be up and down between Syracuse and Queens. (Brynn Anderson/AP)

"It was an emotional day for me,” Smith said. “I know some of the guys were pretty sad about it. I gave everybody individual hugs before I left. It was tough. But we understand. Just like that, a couple days later I'm right back here. It's nothing to dwell on.”

While the organization is elated to have Smith back on the 25-man roster, the reality is he could be optioned and promoted many more times throughout this season. Smith’s fate with the Mets no longer depends on his performance at the plate. Rather, the first baseman’s role with the team is simply transactional.

As Matz and third baseman Jed Lowrie are expected to come off the 10-day IL within a week, the Mets have tough decisions ahead. Smith said the Mets have not informed him of their plans for his future. But the first baseman said he feels more at ease after getting his first demotion out of the way.

“We don't know how long it's going to be for Dom,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “He's done such a good job this year to come off the bench and impact the game. And he understands that there's no telling how long it's going to be.”

He was batting .333 with two doubles and four RBI over 29 games for the big-league team in a difficult pinch-hitting role off the bench. Smith was successful at his new position and supportive of his teammate Pete Alonso, who won the first-base job over him.

Smith spent just two days with the Syracuse Mets for a couple of games in Louisville. He went 2-for-9 with one double and one RBI in the minors.

“You just have to go on,” Smith said of putting his emotions aside. “I went down there with a clear mind and I wanted to get better. I wanted to work on my game and get better at the plate. I took a lot of positives out of the situation.”

Smith’s absence was felt during the team’s 3-2 loss at the Padres on Wednesday.

He would have been the obvious lefty pinch-hitting choice during a rally that fell short in the seventh inning. Instead, Callaway was forced to go to third baseman Todd Frazier, who came up to the plate batting .143.

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But while the all-righty bench was unacceptable, and Smith would’ve provided a chance to win on Wednesday, the Mets offense entered Friday struggling from top to bottom. One left-handed bat was not going to fix its problems.

"I’m getting chills right now, just seeing all the support that I had from my teammates and from the fan base. And from the team,” Smith said. “The team constantly showed that they’re interested in me and they’re confident in me. It just makes me want to play harder and win and do this all for the fans.”